Adventures – Two Wild Tides

Local Highlight: The Rec Room

June 27, 2019 | Leave a Comment

The Rec Room is St. John’s’ newest hotspot. Located right in the Avalon Mall in the heart of uptown, this new entertainment complex features everything you could want in a night out, all in one place. I recently had the opportunity to partner with the kind folks at The Rec Room to showcase their vibrant space and exciting atmosphere. I had so much fun and I am so eager to tell you all about it!

With food, drinks, arcade-style gaming, virtual reality, bowling, and axe-throwing, nobody is bored at The Rec Room. There’s a little something for everyone and the friendly, helpful staff make the experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. We started our evening in ‘The Yard’ with some of our favorite games like Pac-Man, Tight Rope, basketball, and essentially any racing game where we could compete in real-time. Every friend group has that super-competitive pal—well that’s me!

After we’d racked up some points on our wristbands, we got a table in the restaurant, ordered some drinks, and had a bite to eat. Aside from their complimentary popcorn, The Rec Room doesn’t serve typical arcade food— their restaurant, Three10, serves delectable dishes. They have healthy options as well as more indulgent ones; unique and unexpected options as well as classic favourites. The bar offers wine, beer, and fun cocktails. My fave was ‘Peach Don’t Kill My Vibe’—yum. They also had some live music that night, as they do most weekends, which made the whole meal even more enjoyable.

My friends and I enjoyed a variety of snacks and apps. I highly recommend the edamame hummus and the fried green beans. For the summer, The Rec Room is offering a limited-time offer menu, from which we sampled a Tropical Sundae for dessert. I’ll be completely honest, my friends didn’t even get to try it. It was so good I kept it all for myself!

The restaurant at The Rec Room is the perfect place to socialize, hang out with friends, and enjoy a great night out. The best part about having a couple of beverages at The Rec Room? Your designated driver will LOVE you because they won’t be bored like they may be at a typical bar! Also, taxis are less expensive from here than they are from other nightlife hotspots in YYT, such as the downtown area.

After supper, we ventured over to the VRcade Arena for our first-ever virtual reality experience. I was a little nervous at first, but the staff were so knowledgeable when explaining the rules and directions and kindly answered all our questions. They geared us up and off we went into the designated VR arena. It was SO COOL. You can see your friends’ characters right in front of you, and they move based on your friends’ movements, plus you can talk to everyone through your headset. They are right there with you in a whole other world. It’s tricky to get used to at first, but by the time it was over I didn’t want to stop! I can’t wait to go back and try it again. I really suggest you give VR at The Rec Room a try—your friends and family will love you for suggesting it and it’s such a laugh!

When the VR game was over and we regained our bearings (it’s a little disorienting in the coolest way!), we spent the rest of the night sipping drinks and playing games. The Rec Room is for all ages, but at 11:00 it becomes 19+, so a lot more adults feel comfortable to let loose and play, especially since they’re open until 2 o’clock am on Fridays and Saturdays. At the end of the night, we could cash in the points we collected on our wristbands for cool prizes! Along with your classic arcade plush animals and candy, The Rec Room offers high quality prizes like board games and even game consoles.

Have you been to The Rec Room yet? What are you waiting for?! Grab your friends, your family, your colleagues and get over to the Avalon Mall for the best night out you’ve had in forever. There is nowhere else on the island where you can get this kind of experience so don’t miss it. And don’t wimp out on the VR—you’ll regret it. Be sure to get in soon to grab a bite from their limited-time summer menu. Side note: this is the FIRST Rec Room location in Atlantic Canada! Go NL!

Leave us a comment or reach out on social media, @twowildtides, letting us know how you enjoyed your time at the Rec Room, what your favorite game is, and what prize you collected. We love hearing from our readers! And don’t forget to check out The Rec Room on Facebook as well as Instagram and Twitter, @TheRecRoomCA.

Have fun,
char

Travel: How do you do it?

May 27, 2019 | 2 Comments

Surprise! I’m gearing up for another big adventure. I’m super excited about this one as it has been on my travel list since I was a little girl. I have dreamed of this exquisite location rich in food, culture and history for as long as I can remember. I would love to hear your guesses in the comments below. Where do you think I’m heading?

Every time I start planning my next adventure, I become unbelievably excited with the possibility of discovering something new. One thing I hear a lot is “You travel so much – how do you do it?” or “You’re so lucky!” I’m jealous!” or “I wish I could travel as much as you.” The truth is YOU CAN. Yes, I’m incredibly lucky to have experienced such diverse cultures and countries in my 23 years on this planet but it hasn’t come without sacrifice.

At the end of the day, it comes down to your priorities. Travel is a huge priority for me as I believe it is one of the best forms of education. It has taught me so much about life, empathy, compassion and the universal human experience. I have prioritized this desire to learn in my life. I rarely buy myself material items, avoid spending money on nights out/alcohol and try to cook at home as much as possible. I don’t have an abundance of money just saved up at all times – I’m constantly working (often 2-3 jobs at a time). I rarely turn down a shift and realize that the pay off of putting that work in will get me on my next plane. I work literally all the time when I’m at my home base.

I don’t stay in luxurious 5-star resorts and often live out of my backpack in a 10-bed dormitory in a hostel. Having said that, I have realized that roughing it deserves a night or two in some nice digs. I often splurge on a couple nights of luxury per trip but it’s not the priority. Rather, the priority is getting to this new place and exploring it like a local.

Activities and excursions can be a blast but also break the bank. I often decide on one or two musts before I depart and the rest is dependant on how my funds hold up. While traveling you don’t want to deprive yourself of once in a lifetime opportunities or skimping out on the local culture but you can do it on a budget. I have traveled on a budget in over 20 countries and lived to tell the tale.

You can make this your reality, it is accessible and possible. I have never owned a car, limit my bills and budget for the necessities. I prioritize travel. While material things are nice and I’m sure I’ll own a car one day – that’s not my priority right now. I want to see the world. I want to experience as much in this lifetime as possible. I’m striving to live fully and learn about how others live, what makes them tick and their stories.

So what’re you waiting for? Book that plane ticket and figure out the rest afterward.

xoxo,
linds

East Coast Trail: La Manche Village Path

May 23, 2019 | Leave a Comment

I spent Victoria Day (a.k.a. May Long Weekend) the best way possible: outdoors exploring a place I’d never been. La Manche Provincial Park has been on my list for quite a while. It’s only 45 minutes outside of St. John’s and has a lot to offer. There are swimming holes, a campground, and a hiking trail. And not just any hiking trail– one of the East Coast Trail paths runs right through the park. La Manche is the perfect day trip for anyone who just needs a little break from the city.

La Manche Village Path runs from the suspension bridge in La Manche Provincial Park to Bauline East. The website says it goes all the way to Tors Cove, which I guess is correct but the sign marks the trailhead in Bauline East so we didn’t bother with the Tors Cove arm.

If entering the trail at the suspension bridge, you can park in the provincial park for a fee, or at the end of La Manche Road for free, which is about a kilometre past the entrance to the park. Drive down La Manche Road until the end, where there is a small parking area and a sign (pictured below) which marks the entrance to the trail. After about a kilometre and a half of easy walking, you’ll reach La Manche Village and the suspension bridge. This was honestly the best part of the whole hike. La Manche Village is a former settlement and you can still see many of the foundations of the homes that used to exist there years ago. It’s kind of an eerie feeling to stand in the very spot where someone once cooked, slept, laughed, and loved. The suspension bridge replaced the original bridge which was destroyed by waves (hard to imagine on a gorgeous day like the one we experienced) and is quite unique in the province, especially so far off the grid. Plus, the views from this place are amazing. It’s worth checking out, even if just for a perfect picnic location!

Once you’re finished soaking up the gorgeous views, waterfalls, and historic abandoned village, head across the suspension bridge and onward on the trail. Doctor’s Cove is only a short hike from the bridge. There are a few flights of stairs as well as some solid inclines, so you’re in for a bit of a workout but nothing brutal. Doctor’s Cove is a steep downhill to a rocky beach area which is so peaceful and secluded. Another great spot for a picnic. Totally worth the climb back up to the trail. We even got a small little glimpse of an iceberg that was peeking out from behind a cliff.

Honestly, once you hike up out of Doctor’s Cove, don’t bother heading all the way to Bauline East unless you’re truly just out for the fresh air because there isn’t much to see on the rest of the trail. It’s basically a backroad ATV trail. We didn’t go all the way to Tors Cove because we were bored with the trail. But please, let me know if we missed something amazing because we will go back again! From my experience, La Manche Village Path is an amazing afternoon hike if that’s all the time you have. Take your time, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy the scenery.

Have you hiked La Manche Village Path? What’s your favourite path on the East Coast Trail? Let us know in the comments or on social media (@twowildtides), we love hearing from our readers! And please, check out our other posts about the East Coast Trail hikes that we’ve done:

happy hiking,
char

Sun Cruise Catamaran Excursion

May 20, 2019 | Leave a Comment

It’s common on all-inclusive vacations to book an excursion through a vacation travel-provider. Whether it’s a day trip to a local landmark or city, a Jeep, ATV, or dune buggy tour, or a snorkelling adventure, there are lots of excursions to pick from in many popular Caribbean destinations.

On my recent trip to Cuba, my friends and I decided to go for the classic catamaran cruise. What’s better than turquoise water, open bars, and private beaches? We booked our vacation through Sunwing, so to make things easier, that’s where we booked our excursion as well. The catamaran cruise was a good price for a full day on the water with lots of nice bonus offers.

Before I go on, let me say that at twowildtides, we freakin’ love Cuba. It is a beautiful country with the kindest people and fascinating history. The sun is hot, the sand is soft, and the culture is vibrant. Check out our other articles about Cuba:

The Sun Cruise Catamaran tour starts with a double-decker bus pick-up from the hotel. After a quick ride to the marina everyone boards the large catamaran, complete with a bar and open nets above the water. It was time to completely chill out and soak up the sun. Pro tip: don’t slack on the sunscreen when you’re out on the salt water– protect your skin. The first stop was snorkelling (I’d had too many Rum Punch at this point and been snorkelling several times before so I sat this one out lol)

I thoroughly enjoyed flaking out on the nets while everyone else was in the water. I love myself an action-packed adventure, but on this vacation, I really just needed to RELAX. So that’s what I did. And it was lovely.

The second stop was a private beach, Cayo Blanco, for lunch. I had done a catamaran tour before in Punta Cana and the lunch was honestly not great, so I didn’t have high hopes for this one. Well, my expectations were totally exceeded. The buffet lunch was absolutely delicious. There was honestly more variety than the resort we were staying at and it was cooked to perfection. I was so impressed. I also recommend getting a Pina Colada in a watermelon while you’re there. YUM.

After we left Cayo Blanco, we were informed that we’d be going to swim with dolphins. We had learned after we bought our excursion that there were two packages: a cheaper one without dolphins, and a slightly pricier one with dolphins. Unfortunately, we were not given the option. In all honesty, if I had done more research I probably could have known, but I went along with what our travel agent told us, and nobody had mentioned anything about dolphins until a day or two before the excursion. We would have picked the option without the dolphin experience, hands down.

The catamaran pulled up to a large concrete structure, like a series of piers with water in the middle, about the size of a skating rink. There were people in wetsuits directing the tourists to different areas where they could put on life jackets and get in the water with the dolphins. There were excited kids and parents, which reminded me of when I was a kid and went swimming with dolphins in Florida and Mexico, unaware of the implications of it. Two of my friends decided not to get in the water, but I had questions for the ‘trainer’ and I had already spent my money supporting this place (unknowingly) so the harm was already done in my opinion, so I got in the water. I asked the trainer if the dolphins were able to leave under the concrete piers, and she promptly replied: “no they live here.” Heartbreaking.

I urge everyone to avoid swimming with dolphins. Opt out of the dolphin option on this tour and please do not support organizations that keep creatures captive in small enclosures, especially if they aren’t conducting (ethical) research or conservation initiatives. Please. I regret having spent my money to keep a place like this open.

On a brighter note, the rest of the trip back to shore was fun. The amazing staff had a little dance party on deck and played some games with the guests. It was laughter and good vibes all around.

Have you done a tour like this before? Where? What did you guys do? What’re your favourite excursions? Let us know in the comments or by reaching out on social media, @twowildtides. We love hearing from our readers!

happy travels,
char

Hotel Review: Iberostar Laguna Azul

May 16, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Last month I travelled to Varadero, Cuba, for a relaxing holiday with friends. Through a travel agent, we booked a seven-day all-inclusive stay at Iberostar Laguna Azul. Most Canadians love to run away somewhere sunny in the spring when school ends and the weather is still too damp and cold to really enjoy. I wanted to share with you my thoughts on this resort so you have all the information when you’re booking your next vacay.

First of all, let me say that at twowildtides, we freakin’ love Cuba. It is a beautiful country with the kindest people and fascinating history. The sun is hot, the sand is soft, and the culture is vibrant. Check out our other articles about Cuba:

Next, I have to stress the value of travelling all-inclusive. If you’re less interested in getting the most out of a new culture and more interested in soaking up some rays, eating delicious food, and sipping Piña Coladas all day, all-inclusive is the way to go. Through companies like Sunwing, West Jet, and Air Canada, either with a travel agent or on your own (be careful with vacation sites), you can buy vacation packages that include airfare, bus transfers, hotel stays, food, and alcohol all in one payment. Prices can range from $1000+ depending on the quality of the resort and where you are travelling from, but the deal is usually better than booking everything separately and paying for drinks and meals at your destination. If you still want to have cultural and/or adventure experiences, you can book day-long excursions that leave right from your hotel.

With all of that out of the way, let’s talk about the resort: Iberostar Laguna Azul. Built in 2009, this hotel is one of the older ones in Varadero. It has over 800 rooms, but the layout is relatively small, letting you walk anywhere on the resort in a reasonable amount of time without needing a golf cart. Despite having so many rooms, it doesn’t feel crammed in the pool area or on the beach even when the hotel is at capacity. There are three pool areas (two quiet and one with more of a party vibe), plenty of bars, a gorgeous beach, a snack restaurant/lunch buffet, the main buffet restaurant which serves three meals per day, and several a la carte restaurants. For a seven-day stay, you have three a la carte suppers included.

When we arrived, we were checked in to a ground-level room despite having requested an upper floor with a balcony. We wouldn’t have complained, however, this room also did not have a safe and the patio door didn’t lock very securely. The bathroom door was also broken, the mirror was somewhat rusty, and the toilet didn’t work very well. It wasn’t dirty, but you could tell that the room was old and hadn’t been updated or refreshed in quite some time. The next morning, reception was able to put us in a new room and luckily, we had a much better view and the room was on a higher floor. The new room (pictured above) was much nicer. It felt cleaner, brighter, and everything (mostly) worked. Our bathroom door still didn’t close and the tub took hours to drain, but we had a safe for our valuables and a securely locking door. Unfortunately, our mini fridge was only occasionally restocked, and although we were given clean towels every day or so, the cleaning staff only made our bed once throughout the whole time we were there and the tub wasn’t cleaned at all.

I still stand by my statement that the rooms at this hotel are very dated. For me, this is not a big deal, especially considering how inexpensive the vacation actually was. And I don’t need a fancy room to have fun, and that’s what we were there for. It’s really up to you: are you looking for a modern, luxurious hotel room experience? If so, this probably isn’t your place.

The last thing about the rooms at Laguna Azul is a pretty serious complaint: there are no chains on the doors, and the deadbolt is unlocked by the key card. Like most hotels, when you shut the door, it automatically locks and can be opened using a key card. Although in most hotels, there is a deadbolt lock which can only be locked and unlocked from inside the room. In this hotel, the key cards unlock both the deadbolt and regular lock, and without a chain, anyone with a key can come in at any time. It doesn’t feel very secure when you know that during the night any staff member (or guest who may get a hold of your key) could come in while you’re sleeping. We’re hearing more and more stories about hotel room break-ins and hotels should be helping their guests be as safe and secure as possible by providing working deadbolts or door chains. (It wasn’t just our room– it was our first room, second room, and our friends’ room, leading us to assume that it’s like this in all rooms.)

We spent most of our time in the main pool area. It was large with lots of pool chairs around and most importantly, it had a swim-up bar. There were lots of guests around having fun and consistent activities hosted by staff throughout the day. I’d give it 5 stars without hesitating. Both buffets are nearby if you want to grab a snack and you don’t have to walk far at all for a bathroom. No complaints here.

Same goes for the beach. It’s very big, the sand is soft, the water is clear, there is a bar, and there are lots of chairs to flake out on. There are fun activities also hosted on the beach throughout the day by entertainment staff, such as sports and dance lessons. Again, I’d give the beach a 5-star rating.

At both the pool and bar there are staff members walking around serving drinks from your beach chair which is lovely. Although, I will point out that this service, as well as service at any bar on the resort, is quite slow. We waited up to 30 minutes for drinks at some points. It was like this at the pool, the beach, and in the lobby. The theatre bar and cigar bar were probably the quickest. It seemed like the hotel may have been understaffed as they didn’t have many people working the bars, which created the extremely long waits for drinks. Pro tip: the cigar bar (near the washrooms in the lobby) is hardly ever busy so you can get immediate service from friendly staff.

Speaking of the lobby, it is quite lovely. The staff at reception (and throughout the entire resort) are amazing. They were all so kind, friendly, and as helpful as possible. In the lobby area, there is a bar, tables and chairs for lounging, wifi (1 CUC per hour), washrooms, guest services, vacation reps, cigar bar, gift shops, and a game room. The only downside to the lobby is that you’re allowed to smoke in there, which gives it a dingy smell. Nonetheless, we spent many evenings in the lobby drinking cocktails and playing cards and many mornings drinking coffee and checking the Internet.

Let’s talk about food: overall, I was impressed. At every meal, the food was tasty, flavorful, and well-cooked. Unfortunately, the buffets have absolutely no variety. Every day, at basically every meal, they provide the same options. No matter how good food is, nobody wants to eat the same thing three times per day for seven days straight! The a la carte restaurants were quite good. I tried the Japanese, Italian, and steakhouse. The food was delicious and the options were pleasing.

Finally, I’ll mention the nightlife. Of all the resorts I’ve stayed at, this one had the best nightlife. The theatre and disco were bopping every single night. There were lots of people, young and old, excited to party and let loose. The hotel staff kept people pumped up throughout the evening. Lots of fun all around. If you’re looking for a party, this resort will be great for you.

Overall, I had a great vacation. Holidays are what you make them. You can choose to let the little things get you down or you can make the best of it and have fun anyway. That’s what we did. It was worth our time and money. The rooms could definitely use updating, the service could be quicker, and they could use more variety in their food, but the beach and pool are gorgeous, the restaurants were lovely and the food tasty, and the nightlife and entertainment are on point.

If you have any more questions about this resort I’d be more than happy to answer them. Reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook (@twowildtides) or email me at char@twowildtides.com. I love hearing from our readers and I am glad to help in any way I can!